Crystal Gentilello is the founder and editor in chief of Rue magazine, a digital magazine focusing on home entertaining and interior design. At 27, Gentilello launched the magazine of her “dream” in the Fall 2010 with executive editor Anne Sage of The City Sage. She refers to social media as a “powerful tool” that helps build her network and the branding of the magazine. She has been blogging for Plush Palate since 2008.

Tell me the story behind Rue. How did it get started and what inspired you? Most importantly, what made you decide to take a leap and publish your own magazine?

The idea for Rue happened last April on my 27th birthday. I had one those epiphanal moments where I thought to myself, “It’s time I take my passion to the next level!”

The magazine came to me as the perfect way to do that by marrying my two loves: magazines and interior design. I’ve always been one to lead with my instincts so once I had that in my mind, there was no stopping me.

Admittedly, I had no idea at the time that it would involve as much work as it has required, but I’m lucky in that I love the challenge and have an amazing team around me!

When taking a leap, it’s important to really think out your long-term business plan first. Make sure you’re making calculated risks, not crazy ones.

Have you always been interested in design and home decor? Tell me a little bit about your background.

I’ve always loved interior design, I just never really articulated that to myself growing up nor did it dawn on me that it could be a career.

That realization only happened about two years ago when I started my design blog, Plush Palate. That was my way of exploring the passion that had always been inside me but with no real outlet to develop it. The more I got immersed in the design community, the more I became enamored with interiors. Soon enough, I just knew design had to be part of my career.

Another lifelong love of mine has been writing. I was an English major in college and after graduating I pursued that track and did editorial work in Rome for two years Then I worked for a big trade publisher when I got back to the States and before starting Rue.

Upon starting Rue, it seems like you really see the value of a great network. Is this something that you have cultivated over time or did you just happen to be lucky being surrounded by such talent?

My network is something I’ve been fortunate enough to cultivate over time. As my design blog grew, I started to come into contact with more and more industry people and designers via various events and online communities.

When starting Rue, they were the first ones I reached out to for support and many of them either contributed to the magazine or were featured in the premiere.

My cofounder, Anne Sage, had also built a strong network through her own blog, The City Sage, so together we pulled our resources and went from there.

We think of Rue as a community effort and we’re so fortunate to have the contributions, love, and support of so many.

What were the very first things you did after gathering your team of support and talent? Anything you found most challenging?

It all happened so fast, sometimes I can’t even remember! The first thing we did was start contacting people we wanted to feature in the magazine and book photo shoots with them.

Simultaneously, I was working on the business side of starting the magazine (getting a business license, accounting software, advice from people I looked up to and trusted, etc.).

Then after all the shoots were wrapped we started writing the stories, and pulling together all the loose ends like product round-ups, etc.

Looking back on it now, it all feels like such a whirlwind – I don’t know how we kept the pace we did! I guess that’s when passion and adrenaline kick in. We’re much more of a well oiled machine now, even just two issues in.

What differentiates Rue from other up-and-coming home decor publications? And also, why a digital magazine over print?

I believe one of our strengths as a magazine derives from the fact that a core value of ours is community.

We play close attention to the feedback we get from our readers, engage in online design conversations via our blog, Facebook and Twitter, and look forward to nothing more than going out and meeting our readers at events and conference.

We also have a lot of fun with our editorial and enjoy having a few highly stylized features (i.e. “Jingle Girl Rock” in the second issue), which readers have responded to really well.

“Why digital?”

We love our online platform because it provides a very interactive experience for Rue readers. In addition to the magazine itself, we also provide click through links to shopping sites, behind the scenes videos from shoots, playlists to go along with our entertaining features, and printable stationery you can download.

In short, we hope Rue is an “experience” beyond just a magazine.

As a new magazine, it seems like it is crucial to make your brand stands out from the crowd. How exactly are you doing this? Any marketing/public relations strategies that have worked for you?

We’re so honored to be part of such a vibrant community when it comes to shelter publications. We’re big fans and supporters of so many of the magazines out there, but don’t really get bogged down by trying to stand out from the crowd.

Instead, we focus on bringing the best magazine we can to our readers. At the end of the day, we compete only with ourselves and strive to make each issue more inspiring and beautiful than the last.

When you have a strong belief in your team and in your product (the magazine) matched with a lot of hard work, the brand naturally sustains itself.

It terms of marketing and public relations strategies, we approach both by asking ourselves, “What partnerships can we cultivate that will best support our partners, the community, and our readers?” When you strive for a win on all sides, you really can’t go wrong.

Good marketing and PR is about mutually supporting each other, and when you hold that fundamental value in mind, you’re much more likely to succeed.

I can see that you’re a big fan of social media. Tell me about how you approach it. What do you hope to get out of it?

What we love about social media is that it allows us to have conversations with our readers and community. It’s a place to take part in dialogue, share ideas, and build relationships.

It’s a massively powerful tool and one that every business should be utilizing in my opinion.

We’ve made new friends, found people to feature, and booked photographers all through Facebook or Twitter. It democratizes the world of publishing and for that, we love it!

What’s in store for Rue for the next few years?

For one, our team is growing and growing so we’ll be even more equipped to dish out the best stories and features with each new issue.

You can also expect to continue to see us on the road and in different cities for various conference and events (come say hi!). The new year also has a move in store – we’re moving our headquarters to the beautiful city of San Francisco!

Anything you’d like to share with #wgbiz readers about running a start-up? Is there such thing as “the right time” to make the leap?

My best advice is to hire people who have talents that complement your own.

Many business people are Type A personalities and dislike delegating and giving up control, but I’ve learned that if someone can do something better than I can, it’s in the business’ best interest to let them.

I’d also recommend having a strong support system around you. Talk to as many people as you can about your business – you never know when you’ll find that invaluable piece of advice or a new mentor. Inevitably there will be some difficult and scary moments, but keep your focus, faith, and humility, and you’ll be fine.

In terms of the right time to start a business, I think each person has to make this decision for themselves. For me, I was in a place in my life where I had the ability to give the magazine my all (no one will work harder for your business than you have to).

It was also important for me to make sure I had a good financial footing and people in my life who would be there for moral support before starting Rue. But yes, there is always that element of fear.

My personal antidote to that comes in the form of my favorite quote: “Leap and a net will appear.”

More from Women Grow Business:

• On entrepreneurship: Lori Saitz talks about flying in the face of your fear
• Kacy Paide says intuition is your cheapest, handiest business tool
• Guest contributor Karen Kerrigan gives you a checklist for starting your Internet business

Images © Crystal Gentilello, used with permission

Dea Surjadi is a freelance public relations professional specializing in media relations and social media. Having worked in various newsrooms including television, radio, and the web, Dea applies her journalism and marketing background to the PR industry. A graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism, you can reach Dea through email: dea[dot]surjadi[at]gmail[dot] com, or connect with her on Twitter.

Share Your Thoughts on this article here: Young Entrepreneurs: A Conversation With Crystal Gentilello of Rue Magazine

She saw an opportunity and asked a powerful question “What if I…?”

Janet Carter was once enrolled in a Right to Work program and as she shares in our podcast – she didn’t have an ideal experience. She decided to assert her disadvantage and become an entrepreneur. And now she’s helping others with disabilities.

We recently met at Blogpotomac; I’m grateful Janet taught me more about her experience and how she started her business, confronting unique obstacles in the process.

Please listen in to our 3 minute conversation.

More from:

• Janet’s company on Twitter or reach out to her via email: abccleaningservices1 (at) gmail (dot) com.
• Ongoing conversations from Blogpotomac on Twitter.

Image by Donna Grayson, Creative Commons.

Share Your Thoughts on this article here: Her Business: Employing People with Disabilities

Guest post by Shana Glickfield, regular guest contributor to Women Grow Business and Founder of DC Concierge. Effective just recently, Shana’s company directs the online community for NextGenWeb, the blog of USTelecom (a broadband association). Shana can be reached at www.twitter.com/dcconcierge.

Looking first at legal and tax steps
Before you start reaping the benefits of having a business, like generating income and taking tax deductions, you need to set the record straight with the authorities. Yes, that means formally incorporating with the government. This is such a critical step because it will ultimately define your business as far as taxes, legal liability, growth options, and more.

If you’re wondering whether to incorporate at all, take a look at this recent posting by Startup Company Lawyer for important reasons to consider it.

And then, follow these three simple steps:

Step 1 – Do some research
You will likely be deciding among the following business entities; sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), S-Corp, and C-Corp. The IRS website provides a good description of each,

…however, meeting with a legal or accounting professional that specializes in small businesses will be well worth the time and money.

Again, the implications of this decision will affect many aspects of your business over the long term, so it’s not a decision to be taken lightly.

Step 2 – File your forms
Each state has different forms to fill out and file once you’ve decided on an entity. Most state websites have business centers with additional tax, licensing and general information, as well as the forms to download. Filing will likely require a fee of around $100 (but consider this a business start-up cost, which is then tax-deductible) and Articles of Incorporation, which is just like a formal mission statement.

This is also the point at which you should formalize any partnership or investor agreements.

Although most forms will only require the names of partners to be listed, it’s best to have all income and loss arrangements in place (and in writing) before the business transactions that follow incorporating take place.

Step 3 – Separate yourself from your business
To enjoy the perks of being a business without any trouble from the IRS, it’s essential to act like a business entity!

What does this entail?

Make sure that your business transactions are separate from your personal ones. To do this, you’ll want to use a separate business name (even if just, say, Shana Glickfield Consulting LLC) in your business transactions, such as email, invoicing, and public appearances.

Furthermore, you’ll want to set up a business bank account. Most banks will be eager to work with you to establish an account that is right for you. Again, make sure to use your business name on the account and use the corresponding debit/credit card in the business transactions that you’ll later claim as deductions.

A note about your new business online
It’s also easy to set up a Web presence for your business, even if your business is not Web-based. Use a template of a blogging platform to post general information. Or, if the website or blog is integral to your business, consider splurging on a professional.

And a few personal tips

• Employee agreements: If you are currently employed elsewhere [in addition to starting your own company], read your employee agreement to see if forming a business is an option for you. And always keep your side business resources separate from your day job.
• Your professional partners: Do short phone or in-person interviews with potential legal and accounting professionals. This will likely turn into a long-term and more involved relationship as your business grows, so you’ll want someone you feel comfortable with!
• Find model Articles to reference: Ask a friend or fellow entrepreneur in your state to share their Articles of Incorporation so that you have a model to work from.

Questions to you
Are you considering next steps for launching your business? What else would you like to know? Or if you’ve started a business already, what helped you make these types of decisions?

More from:
Shana Glickfield and her ongoing series at Women Grow Business, on starting a new company.

Share Your Thoughts on this article here: Taxes? Legal Liability? Growth Options? The Formalities of Forming a Business

Last week’s SocStardom3 event offered good insight and resources from speaker Jay Berkowitz (…his social media mantra to “Engage, Educate, and Entertain” still resonates).

And then there was Barbara Drazga.

A self-described “serial entrepreneur with more failures than successes under her belt“, we met and talked briefly after Jay’s program. Barbara’s clarity of mind and sense of purpose really packed a punch in our talk (which was 10 minutes or so but the drive for her business stood out immediately).

It was great talking with her on the community here at Women Grow Business – and what we aim to facilitate: to bring women entrepreneurs and those in small business together around resources, experience – and even wit! – to help women at like crossroads succeed. In that regard, Barbara mentioned a published column she wrote and thought could be of timely use to WGB readership.

Favorite excerpts from that column on being more actionable with a business idea:

Be honest.

Are you making excuses for not having the money, freedom, business, or life that you dream of? The first step to change is self-awareness, so you’ve got to be honest with yourself.

“I’d love to make more money…”

“BUT I just don’t have the time to spend on building a business.” [or] “I’d like to lose weight, BUT diets haven’t worked for me.” Notice how the word “but” has negated the positive part of each sentence?

Quick and painless ways to gear your mindset toward productivity

I’m going to offer you quick and painless ways to identify the words you’re using to program yourself for failure — and teach you some tools to replace that talk with words that are guaranteed to produce a more productive outcome.

Crafting ‘problem statements’ with specific action steps

[The unproductive statement] “… I just don’t have the time to spend on building a business.” -Can be reworded as a problem statement like this: “How might I invest one hour a day towards building my business?

Barbara’s context here is something I honestly could practice more. Articulating in more actionable, specific ways toward a business launch (or life goal) mobilizes a positive mindset I find. Her post was a useful mental vitamin [image Vitamin C by CzechR, Creative Commons] …that would be worth reading in full, entitled You Can Make Money, or You Can Make Excuses. Pick One. Or for more of Barbara’s insight online, visit her blog How To Get More Done.

And you?

What re-shapes and re-directs those “I can’t” statements to more productive, actionable mindsets?

More from:

• Sibyl Edwards and the entrepreneur’s mindset;
• Productivity Cafe and a trick toward effectiveness (hint: cracking up helps!).

Share Your Thoughts on this article here: What's Your Approach? Making Money or Making Excuses for a New Business Idea

Guest post by Shana Glickfield, regular guest contributor to Women Grow Business and Founder of DC Concierge. Effective just recently, Shana’s company directs the online community for NextGenWeb, the blog of USTelecom (a broadband association). Shana guides both locals and tourists around Washington, DC, through her blog, DCConcierge.com and can be reached at www.twitter.com/dcconcierge.

From expert hobbyist to entrepreneur
Washington, DC, is a city of transition. From the musical chairs workforce, to the downtown migration to the suburbs and back, to being the internship capital of the country. People in DC are constantly coming and going. And with that, people often struggle a bit to acclimate to their new, local surroundings. Where is the best Thai food in the neighborhood? -least expensive dry cleaners? -place to impress my girlfriends visiting from L.A.? -quiet restaurant to entertain my uncle who is hard of hearing? All questions that only a local expert can answer.

And I did, over and over and over.

And so I began to publish these exchanges on a blog.

“I-might-be-on-to-something-here.”
Writing quietly from my living room in my spare time, I watched the traffic to my website grow. My first true moment of I-might-be-on-to-something-here was when I was contacted only six months after I began the site by a Washington Post reporter seeking an expert opinion on where to get a feel for the character of DC (my answer – a protest on the National Mall).

As traffic and mainstream media attention continued to grow, so did my encouragement to develop my website …

…which I did this past summer with a professional redesign and the addition of an interactive metro map.

Officially incorporating
I have spent the last few months exploring the opportunities to grow the site even further, but now into a business and officially incorporating. Thanks to my involvement with numerous and various networking groups involving tech, entrepreneurship, and tourism (not all in one), I have gained invaluable feedback and inspiration on my next steps.

My three takeaways so far:

• Starting a blog on a specific topic is an excellent way to position yourself as an expert;
• Be patient with growth of traffic and attention;
• Ask contacts from varying and diverse backgrounds for input on your endeavor and be open to their feedback.

I just took the symbolic step of incorporating and will begin transitioning my project from a pastime to a profession. I look forward to sharing my journey here at Women Grow Business as I navigate through and further establish my first business.

More from:
1. Solutions Are Power and a great, diverse series on business plans (for newly launched or soon to start businesses).

2. Jenny McCune at Third Age on converting a hobby to a new business.

Share Your Thoughts on this article here: Learning to Launch: Shana Glickfield Turns a Hobby into Entrepreneurship